Ask LH: How Long Can I Keep Cooked Chicken In The Fridge?

Dear Lifehacker, I've been wondering about the appropriate cold storage instructions for cooked poultry. If refrigerated right after cooking, how long does cooked chicken last in the fridge? All the US government sites suggest 3 to 4 days, but I can’t find any reference points for Australia. Can you help? Thanks, Aspiring Colonel

Good question. The first point is that the basic rules of refrigerating food aren't going to vary dramatically between the US and Australia. The second point is that guidelines are just that: guidelines. The effectiveness of your refrigerator and the way you have cooked the chicken can both make a difference.

With that said, the CSIRO has a handy set of guidelines on how to store food. This recommends no more than 3 days for poultry, and 3-5 days for leftovers, presuming your fridge is running at between 0 and 3 degrees Celsius.

I'm a vegetarian, I cook once a fortnight for lunch and dinner everyday o er that period. On the bench overnight to cool. In the fridge for the full fortnight, been doing that 6 months without a hitch.

I only ever eat vegetarian chickens. The cannibal chickens and meat eating chickens are harder to digest. PS Chicken covered in the fridge is good for up to 5 days when cooked. Use ur nose. If smells bad give it to the cannibal chickens. they wont mind.
Have a good one.

uhhh the link that should be between the *s "With that said *the CSIRO has a handy set of guidelines on how to store food.*" send me http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/11/how-to-disappear-from-the-internet-forever :(

Response from the VIC Dept of Health: "You would be surprised how often this query is received. I am not aware of any particular guidance advice about the period of time cooked poultry can be safely refrigerated. The problem with specifying a certain number of days (be it 1,2 3 or more) is that people tend to rely on the number to the exclusion of all other factors. The most reliable test is sight and smell. In normal circumstances, cooked poultry will probably remain safe and suitable in the refrigerator for about 2 days, After this time, the chances are that some deterioration in quality will start to commence. The chicken may be safe to eat *(ie-no microbiological contamination) but suitability factors (loss of texture,or taste or colour or freshness) start to become apparent."

Response from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ): "The code does not cover specifically how long a cooked chicken can last in a fridge. Food has a wide range of parameters, particularly pH value (the degree of acidity), water activity (the amount of moisture available), presence and extent of present of micro-organisms, etc. Testing for shelf life and storage of food can therefore be a complex process. This is why the onus is upon the manufacturer to determine the appropriate storage for their products. In this instance, I would suggest you seek the guidance of a food technologist. Ultimately it is up to the manufacturer to determine what type of storage best suits their product and they can conduct their own testing or approach laboratories if they choose. The Code is available on the FSANZ website at http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/"

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